Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Kryssie Fortune's holiday
series, Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge, is
now available in a convenient e-boxed set! Better still, you save over $3.00 by
buying the box set.

About Kryssie and her
books

Do you try more to be original or to deliver
to readers what they want?

A
bit of both. I write the sort of books I like to read. Readers want sex, but
the story always comes first. I start with a story idea. In To Mate a Werewolf, the hero Joel must
compete in a tournament to retain the pack that should be his by right. He’s an
alpha wolf, a shifter who leads the nation’s military. Tactics and strategy
come easy to him, but he messed up badly when he found his mate. He needs to
win her heart, her forgiveness, and win the tournament. Sometimes dreams are
mutually exclusive.

I
try to ensure my readers get the sizzling heat level they like, but they get a
damn good story too.

What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your
characters?

I don’t base my characters
on anyone. Many years ago, I qualified as an athletics judge so I made one of
my characters a runner. Since my daughter ran the London Marathon in only three
and half hours, she’s convinced the heroine is based on her. It isn’t, but I
won’t disillusion her. (Until she reads this, of course). To Wed a Werewolf starts with a grand wedding. I based it on my
son’s nuptials. The one thing it highlighted was the difference between
American wedding customs and UK ones. That’s where having a great editor helps.
Thanks, Kierstin Cherry.

Does your family support your career as a
writer?

My
husband and my daughter are my biggest cheerleaders. My son’s horrified that
his mother even thinks people kiss let alone get up to the things they do in my
books.

What other authors are you friends with, and
how do they help you become a better writer?

I
have great author friends. I get together with Jennifer Denys and Ashe Barker
for lunch on a regular basis. We don’t bounce ideas around, but we discuss
publishers, market trends, along with all the normal girlie gossip. We support
each other on blogs and social media. Most authors do that, though. I’ve never
met a mean writer yet. Everyone’s pleased to give each other a helping hand.

Tell us about your Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge

It’s
a series of stand-alone romances set in a fictional North Carolina town. Each
of the heroes are former military, and each is returning to Westhorpe Ridge
after years of service. There’s an arranged marriage, a one-night-stand that
almost gets the lovers arrested, and a second chance of romance. Each book
features light BDSM and spanking.

Blurbs

Marriage, Mobsters, and the Marine
Abigail Montgomery, a small town schoolteacher
with zero self-confidence, dreams of the Dickensian Christmas her family never
enjoyed. Each month she attends a masked BDSM club, but her next visit will be
her last. If she doesn’t marry within the next year, her brother won’t inherit
Montgomery Hall. Desperate, she advertises for a husband.

Jared Armstrong, a former Marine sharpshooter
and occasional Dom needs $125,000 to get his family out of a hole. His
solution--to marry Abigail Montgomery for her money. His only regret is his
wife won’t accept his spanking lifestyle.

Gradually, Abigail comes to dream of making
their marriage real, but she promised Jared a divorce two years after their
wedding. Can they share some Christmas magic as their relationship faces
extortion threats, a kidnapping, and an attempted murder? Or will Jared break
her heart when he walks away?

Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff
Jasmine Stewart (Jazz to her friends) falls for
the blond stranger when he spanks and seduces her at a Washington soiree.
Later, when she discovers her flatmate is trying to draw her into a spy ring,
she goes to the authorities. The ensuing publicity costs her her job, her
security, and her future. Starting over in Westhorpe Ridge is her only option.

Sean Mathews, former SEAL and Westhorpe Ridge’s
sheriff, can’t forget the woman he spanked when he visited Washington, but he
thinks she’s a spy. When she turns up in Westhorpe Ridge, he tries everything
to make her leave town. Despite their misunderstandings, though, they can’t
keep their hands off each other.

As Year’s Eve looms, the spy ring resurfaces.
Jazz will need all of Sean’s SEAL prowess to survive. But because his wounded
leg cost him his speed in the water, will it be enough?

Desire, Deceit, and the Doctor
Twelve years ago, Mandy Devlin moved away from
her friends and family--under threat. If she returned in the next ten years or
told anyone who fathered her baby, her boyfriend’s great-aunt would bankrupt
her family. She’s a single mom who dreams of her lost love and a good spanking.
When she’s finally free to return to Westhorpe Ridge, the last person she
expects to see is Adam--the man she loved and lost so long ago.

Dr. Adam Montgomery doesn’t know he has a son.
Thanks to his great-aunt’s will, he has nine months to find a bride or he loses
Montgomery Hall and the fifteen million dollars she left him. Although he
seduces Mandy on his first night home, he still believes she betrayed him
twelve years ago. No way would he marry a woman like her.

As Valentine’s Day looms, someone tries to kill
Mandy. Is Adam trying to get rid of her? Or can Mandy trust him to protect
them?

Note: All of the books in this set were
previously released as single titles.

The engine stopped, and she heard a car door slam. She
needed out of the trunk, but no one came for her. What if they abandon the car and leave me? I don’t want to die trussed
up in a car trunk. A fresh wave of fear washed through her, along with a
spike of adrenaline. Her body trembled, but time slowed and her thoughts
cleared. She needed to take things one step at a time.

Step one—get her arms free. She wriggled around, hoping
the rough ride had dislodged something she could use to cut the rope. Bingo.
Her fingers touched a metal box. Maybe it held tools or a knife. She almost
wept when she couldn’t open it. The hinge stuck out from the box, so she
twisted some more, running the rope against the hinge. Periodically, she
stopped and tensed her wrists in an attempt to pull the nylon strands apart.

She’d no idea how long she worked at her bonds. It seemed
like hours until the rope finally gave way. Relieved tears filled her eyes.
Rather than rub her wrists, she tugged off the hood and pulled the gag from her
mouth. She’d never been so thirsty. She’d give anything for a cold beer right
now.

Step two—find the release mechanism the law said every
car should have in the trunk. She felt claustrophobic, so scared she could
barely move, but she forced herself to concentrate. There, in the corner, a
glow-in-the-dark lever beckoned. Wriggling like a maggot in a fisherman’s box,
she kicked it for all she was worth, and the trunk lid popped open.

The air smelled wonderful, if slightly musty, but silence
and utter darkness surrounded her. She listened a while, decided her captors
had left, and slipped out the trunk. No lights shone through the darkness.
Using her hands rather than her eyes, she found a lug wrench and flashlight
alongside the spare tire beneath the space she’d just escaped. She grabbed
both, quietly shut the trunk, and headed into the darkness.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

When I wrote this book, I wanted to show both the struggles of an unwed mother but also the pain of not being able to have a child.

Hope you enjoy the excerpt.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me, Kelly. He’s a smart guy. Why would he need me to help him with the class?” Susan watched the blade of the knife go through the onion. She was glad her job in Kelly and Jason’s household didn’t include cooking. Kelly had insisted she liked the chore. Susan, as the maid, only had to clean up.

“Jason is a smart guy, too. But he can’t spell worth a damn,” Kelly said around the matchstick in her mouth. Susan really didn’t believe the technique kept the tears away.

“Yes, but Jason loves you.” Susan wondered if anyone could not find Kelly loveable. Besides being a beautiful blonde with blue eyes and a killer figure, she was smart. Too bad she . . .

“Maybe, but when we were teamed up together in the master’s program, he was a royal pain.” Kelly threw the match in the trash. “I think the man went out of his way to find big words to use in our report so he could ask me how to spell them.” She scooped onion pieces off the cutting board and put them into a skillet. “And believe me, he was just like Colt. Jason wanted me to go out with him, and he thought if he pestered me enough, I’d give in.”

“So what should I do?” Susan shifted on her wooden barstool to get more comfortable. The baby rolled over and stretched. The soft pressure against the wall of her abdomen drew her hand to her stomach. “The man is hot. I’m not going to be able to resist him.”

“What’s wrong?” Concern rang in Kelly’s voice.

“Nothing, why?” Susan said, confused by the quick shift in topics.

“You had a funny look on your face.” Kelly picked up the green bell pepper and started chopping.

“Oh, the baby is moving.”

“Really?” Kelly’s eyes lit up.

Susan knew how much Kelly wanted to have a baby. It was part of the reason she was living with Kelly and Jason. “Do you want to feel the power of an all-star kicker?”

“Yes.” Kelly put down her knife and walked around the counter.

Her hand must have alerted the baby, because a kick hit Kelly’s palm.

“It must be amazing to feel a little person growing inside you,” Kelly said in awe.

“Usually.” Susan shrugged. “Sometimes, though, it’s more discomfort than amazement. Like at night when the baby wakes me, or during the day when he lays on my bladder. Sometimes I feel like an alien is invading my body, with demands I can’t meet.”

“You know you don’t have to face this alone. Jason and I will help you in any way we can, even if you don’t want to let us adopt your baby.” Kelly placed her hand on Susan’s shoulder. “You know we think of you as part of the family.”

“Yes, but . . .” Susan didn’t want to go over this again, but she still didn’t know what she should do. “If I keep the baby, how am I going to be able to go to school and get a degree? And if I let you and Jason adopt it, my parents will never forgive me.”

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Help me chose the Title for My New Book -

Remember The Silver Leaf +55 Community

Hi everyone,
In my last newsletter, I asked people to suggest a title for my new book.
I have narrowed the list down to five and want your opinion.

Remember this is a new series set in a 55+ community. Maybelline Beasley is in the middle of a murder investigation and her friends are trying to help her catch the killer. She also has the help of the police detective Billy Bob Cooter. He knows she didn't do it but all the evidence is pointing to her as the killer.

Now on Sale

Baby Decision

for you to enjoy.

Thanks for all your support, it means the world to me. I truly appreciate you traveling on this journey with me. I understand that like me, you get lots of emails. If at any time, you want to opt out, I wish you the best.

Monday, April 17, 2017

From the day that the powerful, brave and merciless
Vlad III Basarab, a descendant of the Draculesti family—better known to most
people as the infamous vampire Dracula—ascends the throne, he knows only
battles, betrayal and intrigue.

Evil grips the town of Targoviste, capital residence
of Walachia. The secrets behind the stone walls of the palace are as dark and
violent as a winter’s night, as terrifying as the prince’s deeds. Dead bodies,
drained of blood and missing their little finger keep appearing in the streets
at night.

Lovely, smart, determined, Angela Oltenescu ignores
all the aggressive rumors and her mother’s warning regarding Vlad. Will she
suffer the consequences of falling in love with a man nicknamed Dracula by his
enemies—an infamous creature of the night?

Rich, sly, treacherous, Marin Craioveanu, a powerful landlord, craves
the same woman loved by Vlad. Marin's hatred toward the prince will make him an
ally to Handsome Radu, Vlad’s brother and Sultan’s friend, ready to sell the
country to the Ottomans to get rid of his rival.

“What’s your name, my child? I can’t
seem to remember it,” the prince asked Angela, who following her father’s
advice, had curtsied low in front of Vlad.

The prince helped her up and cupping her
chin in his hand, forced Angela to look him directly in his eyes. Vlad directed
his gaze for a second to Grigore and winked at him.

No doubt, Vlad knew her name and hadn’t
forgotten it, but must have wanted to hear her voice, she thought.

The touch of his strong hand on her
face, and the brooding power of his gaze, sent tingles along her skin. First
warm and then icy rivulets ran down her spine. Her heart took off at an
alarming speed. Her voice came as a mere whisper when she managed to utter
through parched lips, over her choking, thumping heart, “Angela. Angela, Your
highness.”

Her slender figure, her soft, blue eyes
enhancing her china complexion, her full mouth temptingly curved, and the
shining golden curls fighting rebelliously out of the braids falling heavily
over her breasts must have made a special impression on him as he nodded in
appreciation and smiled.

“So beautiful. So innocent. Angela. Yes,
a name most suited for your angelic face. And how old are you?”

“I’m almost sixteen.”

“Tell me, Angela, is your heart given?”
he whispered and, still looking directly in her eyes, the prince flashed her a
most enthralling smile. The first genuine smile since he’d entered the hall.

His smile could have stopped the sun in
its course. . . and it had an arresting effect on Angela’s heart as well. It
stirred in her something unbelievably pleasant. For a split second, the deep
sadness she’d noticed moments before vanished from his look. She willed time to
stand still for eternity. She willed this moment to go on and his warm hand
never to leave her face, or his kind look never to leave hers. Her gaze clung
to his lips for a second and then returned to his eyes.

“No, my lord. I haven’t found the man
worth giving it to. Not yet.”

Author
Bio and links

Carmen Stefanescu
resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula where, for about 50 years of communist
dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal
phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if
not to prison.

High-school
teacher of English and German in her native country, and mother of two
daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression by escaping in a parallel world, that of the
books. Reading was, is and will always be her greatest hobby.

She
has dreamed since childhood to become a writer, but many of the things she
wrote remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in
1989, and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for
her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

She likes to
blend genres and thus she writes paranormal stories with a smidgen of mystery,
history and romance. The reader will find suspense, dark themes, adventure,
danger as well as sweet revenge. She calls her stories “gothic” romance.Her
writing focuses on rebirth, past life regression, karmic retribution.

Carmen joined the volunteer
staff at Marketing For Romance Writers Author blog and is the coordinator of
#Thursday13 posts.

Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she
looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who
can’t keep her fangs to herself.

Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who'd be happy to share
their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since
being in that line includes not being gay.

Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong
together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy
incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only
problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.

Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to
happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of
procreation: She’s going to have a baby.

While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news
to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing
choices no one should have to make.

Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn
to decide...and it's already After Midnight.

~~

Excerpt:

The choice between staying in on a Saturday night to clean and
going to see Cheyenne at his first real gig hadn’t been a complicated decision.
He was a world-class rocker who could play the guitar like a fiend and had a
voice that made you feel…everything. Or made you horny. And fuck if she didn’t
love him. Damn incubus.

She reached across him and caressed Jewell’s side. Jewell’s eyes
opened and she stared expressionless at the ceiling, hyper-alert to danger. It
always took a few moments after resurrecting for her to remember where she was
and who was with her, but since moving into their new home it seemed to take
even longer.

Ria sighed. She’d do anything if it would help Jewell feel safe
enough to die each dawn and awaken peacefully. “All is well, Babydoll. It’s
just me. Time to rise and twinkle with the stars.”

“Already?” Jewell scrunched her eyes and blinked as if trying to
focus them.

Cheyenne lay his head on the soft swell of Jewell’s belly. “Didn’t
we just go to bed?”

Ria kissed his back and licked a slow trail down his spine. “Hours
ago. Did we tucker out the poor little sex demon?”

“Not hardly, dead girl.”

She grabbed a fistful of his hair and turned him to face her.
“That’s undead girl, thank you.” She bit his lower lip and let it drag
between her teeth. “Show us what you’ve got left.”

Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances.
Her books include HOUSE OF THE RISING SON and its prequel novella, AFTER
MIDNIGHT. Trevann's stories incorporate an unquenchable addiction to music and
her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive
creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living
After Midnight.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Suspended between two worlds—belonging to neither—April must let go of her dreams and embrace her duties in the afterlife to win the man she loves.

April Carter is a high school history teacher who dreams of finding the perfect man to whisk her away from her small-town life. She wants it all—the husband, the house, the kids, the car. But her dreams of living the perfect life are shattered during a school shooting. Now she must learn to accept her fate if she's ever going to find the life she loves.

Damian Perkins is April's Guardian Angel, though no one would guess that based on his attitude. A tragic event in his past has left him bitter and resentful, and he won’t let anyone get close enough to care about him . He's tried to make April hate him, but she sees through his abrasive exterior and awakens a part of his soul he thought had burned out long ago. Damian must let go of his past and accept his responsibilities or he'll spend the rest of his existence alone and miserable .

Excerpt:

Damian lay on the bed behind her with his arm across her body. God, I wish I could feel her. The memory of the way she fit in his arms tightened his chest, and he yearned to feel her warmth again. To feel her soft curves pressed against his body. She could’ve used some real affection. But as much as he wanted to give it to her, it wasn’t his place. He’d have to settle for comforting her from The In-Between.

She took a few deep breaths and slowly drifted to sleep. The tension in her body relaxed, and her pulse slowed to a steady, rhythmic beat. Rest was exactly what she needed to chase away the fear and guilt that must’ve been coiling inside her. To be betrayed by someone who was supposed to love her. He couldn’t imagine what she must’ve been feeling.

Well, yes he could...

He breathed in her intoxicating scent and closed his eyes. He was getting in too deep, and he needed to get away.

But as the last of the tension left her body, she exhaled and whispered, “Damian.”

Hearing his name dance from her lips made his heart lodge in his throat. Was she dreaming about him?

“I’m here, April. You’re safe.”

A soft moan vibrated from her chest, and she nestled her head into the pillow.

She couldn’t possibly be dreaming about him, could she? He’d tried so hard to make her hate him. What dream could possibly be twirling through her mind? She was sound asleep, and he knew it was safe to leave her alone.

But he stayed.

As much as he hated to admit it, he liked holding her, whether he could feel her body pressed to his or not. There was nowhere in the universe he’d rather be. And he desperately wanted to hear her whisper his name again.

Get it together, man. It’s not gonna happen.

The sun set, and soft moonlight filtered through the window, giving her skin an angelic glow. Even with her tear stained cheeks and disheveled hair, she was magnificent. The soft rise and fall of her chest, her gentle breath, her fragile posture. He could’ve held her forever.

But he needed to leave. To get away from her before his thoughts went any farther down the path he’d been avoiding all this time.

He pulled his arm from around her and prepared to Jump. She moaned and reached to the place where his arm had rested moments before.

“Please don’t leave me, Damian.”

He froze, his body paralyzed in anticipation, and swallowed down the lump in his throat. Did she sense him? Did she know he was there with her? No, it wasn’t possible. Charges felt comfort from their Guardians, but they never knew why.

“Damian, please.”

Liquid warmth flowed from his core, out to his limbs. His heart raced at the sleepy sound of her voice. He imagined it was how she’d sound in the morning, after a long night of lovemaking.

But he could not think about her that way. There was no way in hell he’d ever fall for a Charge. Not if he could help it.

Carrie Pulkinen has always been fascinated with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an exciting storyteller.

Carrie spent the first part of her professional life as a high school journalism and yearbook teacher. She loves red wine and chocolate, and in her free time, she likes to read, take pictures, and spend time with her family.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

An addiction counselor and a security guard struggle to free a little girl and her father, two lost spirits trapped inside an abandoned mental asylum.

Addiction counselor Laura Horton returns from college to move in with an old friend and start her career. But her homecoming is jarring. Her friend moves out, leaving Laura alone with the gorgeous but intimidating ex-boyfriend—in a house that snugs up to an ancient graveyard.

Officer Miller Stanford is a man with a shattered past. His alcoholic dad destroyed their family, a weakness Miller is terrified will consume him too. The last thing he needs is a sexy, blonde addiction counselor watching his every move. When he begins to see specters in the dark, he starts questioning his own stability.

But Laura sees her too—a pathetic child-spirit searching for her father. When Laura starts digging into old asylum records, the eerie events escalate . . . Can Miller and Laura uncover the secrets of Talcott Hall without jeopardizing their love—and lives—in the process?

Excerpt:

“Hey. Little girl. Let me help you,” Miller tried again, and the child finally lowered her hands. She was younger than he’d first thought—ten, maybe. Tears streaked her reddened cheeks, glistening in the beam of his headlights. Her pale, golden hair was baby fine and wispy, but tousled and disheveled. As though it hadn’t seen a brush in good long time.

She met his gaze with eyes like the man’s, clear and blue and strangely luminescent. The sadness Miller saw behind them made his chest ache.

“Where did your friend go, sweetheart? The man who came out with you. Where did he go?”

She stared at him with lips quivering before her face crumpled again. “I don’t know. I don’t know where Daddy is. I’ve been looking and looking for him. Every time I think I’ve found him, he goes away.”

Miller swallowed. Yeah, that’s one way to describe the mysterious vanishing act.

He drew in a breath and tried again. “What’s your name, sweetie? Was that your daddy with you?”

Head bobbing, the tears flowed freely now, and she wouldn’t take her eyes off Miller’s face. He felt a lump growing in his own throat, as though she was somehow transferring her pain to him. His hands, clasped in front of him, began to shake.

When she spoke again, her voice took on an echoed quality, as though she were receding into an empty culvert. “I’m Greta. And I’m looking for my daddy. He used to live here. But I keep coming back to find him, and nobody knows where he is.” She dropped her chin to her chest and ground her knuckles against her eyes.

When she looked up, Miller gasped. Behind her, against the fence, a bright red McDonald’s French fry box clung to the base of the chain link. Directly behind her, yet he could see it clearly. That’s when he realized he could see . . .right . . .through her.

Claire Gem Bio:

Claire is a multi-published, award winning author of emotional romance—sexy contemporary, supernatural suspense, and women’s fiction. She writes about strong, resilient women who won’t give up their quest for a happy-ever-after—and the men lucky enough to earn their love. No helpless, hapless heroines here. These spunky ladies redefine romance, on their terms.

Her supernatural suspense, Hearts Unloched, won the 2016 New York Book Festival. Her rock star contemporary, The Phoenix Syndrome, won the women’s fiction division in FCRWA’s The Beacon Contest.

A New York native, Claire has lived in five of the United States and held a variety of jobs, from waitress to bridal designer to research technician—but loves being an author best. She and her happily-ever-after hero, her husband of 38 years, now live in central Massachusetts.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Charlotte Roche escaped dangers lurking in Boston by accepting a job in Chicago. A new name, a new beginning - all built on lies. Thinking she is safe, Charlotte drops her guard and sets her sights on her ruggedly handsome and wildly sexy running partner, Alexander Gaines. Can she advance their relationship from the track to the bedroom and still maintain her charade, or will Alex's probing questions pierce her carefully rehearsed story?

Alex, with unrevealed secrets of his own, struggles to hold the irresistible Charlotte at arm’s length. But when Charlotte sustains a suspicious injury, Alex seizes the opportunity to cuddle up to the sassy beauty. Does he dare risk his reputation, his fortune, his friends, and his heart?

With exposure imminent, they appeal to their friends for help. Join Alex and Charlotte, along with characters you’ve met and loved in “Bedazzled” and “Beholden”, as they tackle the maze of half-truths and cover-ups threatening the lovers.

How can they build a bond with deceit on both sides? With malevolent forces advancing, is their love Bedeviled?

EXCERPT

“You look so beautiful,” he told her in a husky voice. “I have been wanting to do this all night.”

His head lowered to hers, pulling her close against him as he leaned back until all her weight was leaning on his and she had no choice but to twine her arms behind his head or the tree trunk. His lips captured her slowly, softly pressing against hers. One hand rested low, on the curve between her back and her behind. The other came up to tangle in her short hair, holding her head still as he deepened the kiss. His lips demanded response, plundering her mouth with his tongue. He tasted of expensive wine and Alex as his tongue explored the recesses of her mouth, hot and insistent. Her breasts were flattened against his rock-hard chest, her hips tight against his as he held her to him.

When he lifted his head, shadowed by moonlight behind him, Charlotte was unable to read his expression. Unsure and unsteady, she waited, catching her breath. Blood was coursing through her veins, hot and urgent. Her heart was pounding from just one kiss.

“God, I want you,” he rasped, the words torn from him, raw and insistent before he dipped his head to kiss her again. She returned the kiss, opening her lips to his insistent ones, entwining her tongue with his, increasing the pressure against his mouth as she ran her hands up into his hair. She held fast to him, feeling his hand move from her hair to the nape of her neck, down along her bare arms, tracing a pattern there with his fingers. The feel of his hands on her skin was warm, strong and sure. She had longed for his touch and now desired it everywhere.

Alex lifted his head reluctantly. “If we don’t get back in that car now,” he told her, his voice hoarse with longing, “I will not be responsible for my actions.”

He lifted her away from his body, steadied her and then hefted himself away from the tree and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to lead her back to the car.

She felt bereft without the solid warmth of him hard against her. Neither of them said a word until he opened her car door and closed it again, without allowing her inside. Instead, he pushed her gently against it.

“Sorry, I can’t make it home without one more.” Alex took Charlotte’s mouth in a searing kiss that took her breath away, sucking her lower lip into his mouth then sliding his tongue over it and into the moistness of her mouth. He kissed her senseless until she would have happily made love there in the sand, and the world be damned. She wanted this man as she had never wanted anything before.

Charlotte kissed him passionately, running her hands up and down his muscular back as she tightened her hold on him, wanting to get closer, to feel his bare skin, until finally they mutually agreed to some restraint and dragged apart from one another. He kept his fingers touching her lightly until she got in the car and he closed the door behind her.

“Jeez,” he stated with a rough chuckle as he folded himself into the bucket seat, “I hope there are no cops out, cause I am planning to break speed records getting you home.”

Other books in the Beguiling Bachelor Series – a steamy, Comtemporary Romance Series

Bewildered – a prequel, short story How can Sloane choose between two hunky millionaires?

Bedazzled – Can Wyatt overcome tradition and family to seize Kelli for his own?

Bedeviled – Randall is just not part of Sloane’s plan when she claws her way back into society, but she is definitely part of his.

Bio for Madison Michael

Madison Michael traded 28 years in Fortune 500 tech and management positions for a chance to spend her days with sassy heroines, sexy, rich heroes and nothing but happy endings. Growing up the daughter of a librarian, she learned to love books, especially classics and romances, and spent winters cuddled under blankets losing herself in books.

Madison is the author of three novels in the Beguiling Bachelor series, as well as several short stories. She is a member of Romance Writers of America.

After living in the northeast, southeast and the west, Maddy returned to her Midwest roots. She lives in Evanston, IL with two feline editorial assistants and great views of Chicago’s famous skyline.